1. Field
Embodiments relate to a rechargeable battery and a rechargeable battery module.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hybrid or electric vehicles that are driven by an internal combustion engine and/or an electric motor may be provided with a power supply that supplies electrical power to the electric motor, e.g., a high-power motor. The power supply may include a plurality of rechargeable batteries connected to each other in order to supply high-voltage power to the high-power motor. That is, the power supply may include a plurality of rechargeable battery modules that are connected to each other, e.g., in series. The rechargeable battery modules may be formed by connecting the rechargeable batteries, i.e., a plurality of unit cells, in series.
The serial connection may connect a positive electrode terminal of one unit cell with a negative electrode terminal of an adjacent unit cell with a bus bar. The serial connection may then be repeated, connecting a positive electrode terminal of another unit cell to a negative electrode terminal of another adjacent unit cell with another bus bar.
The serially connected unit cells may have a repeating structure including a plurality of unit cells and a plurality of bus bars in a single rechargeable battery module. The serially connected unit cells may be made by repeated labor performed by a worker.